CHAPTER XXXV
When Rameses on the following morning visited his son, he found Sarahweeping. He asked what the cause was. She answered at first thatnothing troubled her; then she said that she was sad. At last she fellat his feet and cried bitterly.
"My lord," whispered she, "I know that thou hast ceased to love me,but at least avoid danger."
"Who said that I have ceased to love thee?" asked Rameses, astonished.
"Thou hast in thy house three new women--ladies of high family."
"Ah, so that is the trouble?"
"Besides, thou art exposing thyself for a fourth,--a wickedPhoenician."
The prince was confused. Whence could Sarah know of Kama, and knowthat she was wicked?
"As dust squeezes into caskets, so scandals work into the quietesthouses," said Rameses. "Who has spoken to thee of a Phoenician?"
"Do I know who? My heart and an evil omen."
"Then are there omens?"
"Terrible. One old priestess learned, I suppose from a crystal ball,that we shall all perish through Phoenicians, especially I and--myson," burst out Sarah.
"And thou who believest in One, in Jehovah, fearest the fictions ofsome stupid old woman who is perhaps intriguing? Where is thy greatDeity?"
"My God is only mine, but those others are thine; so I must reverethem."
"Then that old woman spoke to thee of Phoenicians?" asked Rameses.
"She told me long ago, while in Memphis, that I should guard against aPhoenician woman," answered Sarah. "Here all are speaking of aPhoenician priestess. I cannot tell; maybe it is only somethingwandering in my troubled head. People say even that were it not forher spell thou wouldst not have sprung into the arena. Oh, if the bullhad killed thee! Even to-day, when I think of the evil which mighthave happened, the heart grows cold in my bosom."
"Laugh, Sarah," interrupted Rameses, joyously. "She whom I take tomyself stands so high that no fear should reach her, still less,stupid scandal."
"But misfortune? Is there a mountain top so high that the missile ofmisfortune may not reach it?"
"Thy sickness has wearied thee, and fever has disturbed thy mind; thatis why thou art troubled without reason. Be quiet, and watch over myson. A man," said he, in deep thought, "be he Greek or Phoenician, canharm only beings like himself, but not us, who are gods of thisworld."
"What didst thou say of a Greek? What Greek?" asked Sarah, alarmed.
"Did I say Greek? I know nothing of a Greek. Such a word may haveslipped from me; perhaps thou didst not hear correctly."
He kissed Sarah and his son, and took farewell of them; but he did notexpel fear.
"We must say once, and decisively," thought he, "that in Egypt nosecret is hidden. The priests and my attendants follow me, even whenthey are drunk, or pretend to be, and the serpent eyes of Phoeniciaare gazing at Kama. If they have not hidden her before me thus far,they must have small regard for her virtue. Moreover, beforewhom?--Before me, to whom they themselves discovered the deceptions oftheir own temple. Kama will belong to me. They are too much involvedin this to think of bringing my anger on their heads by opposition."
A couple of days later the holy Mentezufis, assistant of the worthyHerhor, came to the erpatr. Rameses, looking at the pale face anddowncast eyes of the prophet, divined that he too knew of thePhoenician woman, and perhaps wished, as a priest, to reprimand theviceroy. But this time Mentezufis did not mention affairs touching theheart of the heir.
When he had greeted the prince, with an official mien, the prophettook the seat indicated, and began,--
"From the Memphis palace of the lord of eternity they have informedme that in recent days the Chaldean high priest Istubar, the courtastrologer and counsellor of his grace King Assar, has come toPi-Bast."
The prince desired to tell Mentezufis the reason of Istubar's coming,but he bit his lips and was silent.
"The renowned Istubar," continued the priest, "has brought documentsin virtue of which the worthy Sargon, a satrap, and a relative of KingAssar, remains with us as ambassador of that mighty sovereign."
The prince was near bursting into laughter. The seriousness with whichMentezufis had thought fit to lay bare a small part of the secretslong known to Rameses filled him with contempt and delight also.
"This trickster," thought the prince, "has not an inkling in his heartthat I know all their villainy."
"The worthy Sargon and the revered Istubar," continued Mentezufis,"will go to Memphis to kiss the feet of his holiness. But first,worthiness, thou, as viceroy, wilt be pleased to receive both thesedignitaries graciously, and their suite also."
"Very willingly," answered the prince, "and on that occasion I shallask them when Assyria will pay the arrears of tribute?"
"Wouldst thou do that, worthiness?" asked the priest, looking him inthe eyes.
"That first of all; our treasury needs tribute."
Mentezufis rose suddenly from his seat, and said, in solemn thoughlowered accents,--
"O viceroy of our lord, and giver of life, in the name of his holinessI forbid thee to speak with anyone of tribute, but, above all, withSargon, Istubar, or any man of their suite."
The prince grew pale.
"Priest," said he, standing up also, "on what basis dost thou speak tome as a superior?"
Mentezufis drew aside his robe, and took from his neck a chain onwhich was one of the pharaoh's rings.
The viceroy looked at the ring, kissed it with devotion, returned itto the priest, and answered,--
"I will fulfil the command of his holiness, my lord and father."
Again both sat down, and the prince asked the priest,--
"Canst thou explain to me, worthiness, why Assyria should not pay ustribute which would save the state treasury from embarrassment?"
"Because we have not the power to force Assyria to pay us tribute,"answered Mentezufis, coldly. "We have an army of a hundred and twentythousand, Assyria has three hundred thousand warriors. I say this tothee, worthiness, in perfect confidence, as to a high state official."
"I understand. But why did the ministry of war, in which thou servest,decrease our valiant army sixty thousand men?"
"To increase the income of his holiness twenty thousand talents,"replied the priest.
"Aha! Tell me, then, worthiness," continued the prince, "with whatobject is Sargon going to the feet of the pharaoh?"
"I know not."
"Aha! But why should I not know,--I, who am heir to the throne?"
"Because there are state secrets which barely a few dignitaries know."
"And which even my most worthy father may not know?"
"Assuredly he may not, for there are things which even his holinessmay not know, since he does not possess the highest priestlyconsecration."
"It is wonderful!" said the prince, after some thought. "Egypt is theproperty of the pharaoh, and still things may be done in it which areunknown to him. Explain this to me, worthiness."
"Egypt is first of all, and even only and exclusively, the property ofAmon," said the priest. "There is absolute need, therefore, that onlythose should know the highest secrets to whom Amon has declared hisplans and purposes."
The prince, while listening, felt as if people were turning him on abed of dagger points under which fire was burning.
Mentezufis wished to rise; Rameses detained him.
"One word more," said he, mildly. "Is Egypt so weak that she cannoteven mention the Assyrian tribute?"
He panted.
"If Egypt is so wretched," continued he, "then what assurance is therethat Assyria will not attack us?"
"We may assure ourselves by a treaty," answered the priest.
The heir waved his hand.
"There are no treaties for the weak!" said he. "Silver tabletsinscribed with agreements will not guard boundaries unless spears andswords stand behind them."
"But who has told thee, worthiness, that they will not stand on ourland?"
"Thou thyself. One hundred and twenty thousa
nd men must yield beforethree hundred thousand. Were Assyrians to come here, Egypt would beturned into a desert."
Mentezufis' eyes flashed.
"If they were to invade us," cried he, "their bones would never touchtheir own country! We should arm all the nobles, all the regiments oflaborers, even convicts in the quarries. We should take the treasuresfrom all temples. And Assyria would meet five hundred thousandEgyptian warriors."
Rameses was delighted at this outburst of patriotism in Mentezufis. Heseized him by the hand, and said,--
"Then, if we are able to have such an army, why do we not attackBabylon? Is not the great warrior Nitager imploring us for years to doso? Is not his holiness alarmed by the movement in Assyria? If we letthem concentrate their forces, the struggle will be most difficult;but if we begin ourselves--"
The priest interrupted him,--
"Dost thou know, prince, what a war is to which one must go through adesert? Who will assure us that before we could reach the Euphrateshalf our army and carriers would not perish from hardship?"
"That would be cured by one battle," interrupted Rameses.
"A battle!" repeated the priest. "But does the prince know what abattle is?"
"I hope so!" replied the heir, striking his sword.
Mentezufis shrugged his shoulders.
"But I say, lord, that thou dost not know what a battle is; thou hasteven an entirely false idea of it from manoeuvres at which thou hastalways been the victor, though more than once thou shouldst have beenconquered."
The prince frowned. The priest put his hand beneath his robe, and saidquickly,--
"Guess what I have in my hand, worthiness."
"What?" repeated Rameses, with astonishment.
"Guess quickly and truly," insisted the priest, "for if thou artmistaken two of thy regiments perish."
"Thou hast a ring," said the heir, who had grown joyous.
Mentezufis opened his hand; there was a bit of papyrus in it.
"But what have I now?" asked the priest again.
"A ring."
"Well, not a ring, but an amulet of the divine Hator. Dost see, lord,that is a battle? In time of battle Fate holds out her hand everymoment, and commands us to guess at the very quickest the surpriseinclosed in it. We succeed, or we fail; but woe to the man who failsoftener than he guesses; and a hundredfold more to those on whom Fateturns her back and forces into blunders."
"But still I believe, and I feel here," cried the heir, striking hisbreast, "that Assyria must be trampled."
"Oh, that the god Amon might speak through thy mouth," saidMentezufis. "What thou sayst is true; Assyria will be humbled, perhapseven with thy hands, but not immediately--not immediately."
The priest took farewell; Rameses remained alone. In his head and hisheart raged a hurricane.
"So Hiram was right in saying that they deceive us," thought he. "I amcertain now that our priests have made a treaty with the Chaldeanswhich his holiness will be forced to sanction. Has anyone ever heardof a thing so monstrous? He, the lord of the living, and of thewestern world, must sign a treaty invented by intriguers!"
Breath failed him.
"The holy Mentezufis has betrayed himself. It is true, then, that incase of need Egypt can put forth an army of half a million? I did noteven dream of such forces. Still they think that I fear their fablesabout fate, which commands us to solve riddles. Only let me have twohundred thousand men, trained like Greek and Libyan regiments, and Iwould undertake to solve all riddles on earth and in the heavens."
"That is a hot head," thought the worthy Mentezufis, while returningto his cell,--"a woman hunter, an adventurer, but strong. After theweak pharaoh of to-day he reminds us rather of Rameses the Great. Inten years the stars may change; he will ripen and crush Assyria. OfNineveh there will remain only ruins, sacred Babylon will find itstrue place, and the one supreme God, the God of Egyptian and Chaldeanprophets, will reign from the Libyan desert to the sacred Ganges."
"If our youth would not make himself ridiculous by night pilgrimagesto the Phoenician priestess; if he should be seen in the garden ofAstaroth, or if people should think that the erpatr was inclining hisear to the faith of Phoenicia-- Not much is needed in Lower Egypt toreject the ancient gods. What a mixture there is of nations here!"
Some days later the worthy Sargon informed the viceroy officially ofhis position as ambassador, declared the wish to salute him, andbegged for an Egyptian escort which might conduct him with all safetyand honor to the feet of the pharaoh.
The prince deferred his answer two days, and appointed an audience toSargon at the expiration of two other days. The Assyrian, accustomedto eastern delay in journeys and business, was offended in no way, andwasted no time. He drank from morning till evening, played dice withHiram and other rich men from Asia. In free moments he slipped away,like Rameses, to Kama.
As an elderly and a practical man, he offered the priestess richpresents at every visit. His feelings he explained as follows:--
"O Kama, why sit in Pi-Bast and grow thin here? While young, theservice of Astaroth may please thee; but when old, a wretched fatewill present itself. They will take thy costly robes from thee, andput a younger woman in the temple; thou wilt earn, then, a handful ofroasted barley by telling fortunes, or by nursing women in childbirth.Had the gods in punishment created me a woman, I should choose to bethe mother and not the nurse attending her."
"Hence I say," continued Sargon, "leave the temple and join myhousehold. I will give thee ten talents in gold; I will give fortycows, and of wheat a hundred measures. The priests will fearchastisement from the gods, so as to gain from me a better bargain.But I shall not yield a drachma; I may add, at most, a few sheep tolet them celebrate a solemn service. The heavenly Astaroth will appearthen, and will free thee from vows if I add a gold chain or a goblet."
While listening to these statements Kama bit her lips to restrainlaughter; and he continued,--
"If thou go with me to Nineveh, thou wilt be a great lady. Thou shallhave a palace; I will give thee also horses, a litter, slaves, andservants. In one month thou wilt pour out on thy person more perfumethan thou offerest here in one year to thy goddess. And who knows,"concluded he, "thou mayst please King Assar; if so, he would take theeto his palace. Thou wouldst be the happiest of women, and I should getback what I had spent on thee."
At the palace of the heir, on the day appointed to receive Sargon,Egyptian troops were drawn up, and a throng of people were standingnear, eager for spectacles.
The Assyrian retinue appeared about midday, the hour when heat isgreatest. In front marched policemen armed with swords and sticks;behind them a number of naked swift runners, and three horses. Thosewere trumpeters and a herald. At the corner of each street thetrumpeters sounded a signal, and the herald called in a loud voice:"Behold, Sargon is approaching; the ambassador of the mighty Assar, arelative of the king, a lord of immense wealth, a conqueror inbattles, a ruler of provinces. Give him, O people, due homage as afriend of the ruler of Egypt!"
After the trumpeters rode Assyrian cavalry, with pointed caps, innarrow skirts and jackets. Their shaggy and enduring horses had ontheir foreheads and breasts bronze armor patterned as fish-scales.Next appeared infantry in helmets, and long mantles reaching theearth. One division was armed with heavy clubs, the next with bows,the third with spears and shields. Each man had, besides, a sword,and was armored.
After the soldiers came Sargon's horses, chariots, and litters,surrounded by servants in white, red, and green garments. After themcame five elephants with litters on their backs; on one rode Sargon,on another the Chaldean priest Istubar.
The procession was closed by warriors on horseback and on foot, and byharsh Assyrian music, produced by trumpets, drums, metallic plates,and pipes squealing shrilly.
Prince Rameses, surrounded by priests, nobility, and officers, dressedin various colors, and richly, was awaiting the ambassador in thegreat hall of audience, which was open on all sides. The heir wasgladsome, knowing that
the Assyrians were bringing gifts which, in theeyes of Egyptians, might pass as tribute. But when he heard theimmense voice of a herald in the court praising the might of Sargon,he frowned. When the expression flew to his ears, that King Assar wasthe friend of the pharaoh, he grew angry. His nostrils dilated likethose of an angry bull, and sparks flashed in his eyeballs. Seeingthis, the officers and nobility began to assume threatening faces, andput hands to their sword-hilts. The holy Mentezufis noted their looks,and cried,--
"In the name of his holiness, I command nobles and officers to receivethe worthy Sargon with the respect due a great king's ambassador!"
The heir frowned, and strode impatiently along the raised platformwhere his viceregal chair was standing. But the disciplined officersand the nobles grew silent, knowing that they could not trifle withthe assistant of the war minister.
Meanwhile, in the court the immense and heavily armed Assyrianwarriors stood in three ranks, opposite the half-naked and slenderwarriors of Egypt. The two sides looked at each other like a band oftigers at a herd of rhinoceroses. In the hearts of each ancient hatredwas smouldering. But command towered above hatred.
At that moment the elephants entered, the Egyptian and Assyriantrumpets roared, the troops of both armies raised their weapons, thepeople fell on their faces, while the Assyrian dignitaries, Sargonand Istubar, were descending from their litters.
In the hall Prince Rameses sat on an elevated chair beneath abaldachin, while at the entrance door appeared the herald.
"Most worthy lord," said he, turning to the heir, "the ambassador ofthe great King Assar, the renowned Sargon, and his associate, thepious prophet Istubar, desire to salute thee and render thee honor asviceroy and heir to the pharaoh,--may he live through eternity!"
"Ask those dignitaries to enter and comfort my heart by the sight oftheir persons," answered the viceroy.
Sargon entered the hall with a clattering and clinking. He was dressedin a long green robe, thickly embroidered with gold. At his side, in asnow-white mantle, walked the devout Istubar, and behind them statelyAssyrian lords carried gifts for the viceroy.
Sargon approached the elevation, and said in the Assyrian language,which an interpreter repeated in Egyptian immediately,--
"I, Sargon, a leader, a satrap, and a relative of the most mighty KingAssar, come to salute thee, O viceroy of the most mighty pharaoh, andin sign of eternal friendship I offer gifts to thee."
The heir rested his palms on his knees, and sat as motionless as thestatues of his ancestors.
"Interpreter," said Sargon, "hast thou repeated badly to the prince mykindly greeting?"
Mentezufis, standing near the elevation, turned toward Rameses.
"Prince," whispered he, "the Lord Sargon is waiting for a graciousanswer."
"Then answer him that I do not understand by what right he speaks tome as if he were my equal in dignity."
Mentezufis was confused, which still more angered the prince, whoselips began to tremble; and again his eyes flashed. But the Chaldean,Istubar, understanding Egyptian, said quickly to Sargon,--
"Let us fall on our faces."
"Why should I fall on my face?" inquired the indignant Sargon.
"Fall, unless thou wish to lose the favor of King Assar, and perhapsthy head also."
Thus speaking, Istubar lay on the floor at full length, and Sargonnext to him.
"Why should I lie on my belly before that stripling?" muttered Sargon,indignantly.
"Because he is viceroy," answered Istubar.
"Have I not been viceroy of my lord?"
"But he will be king, and thou wilt not."
"What are the ambassadors of the most mighty King Assar discussing?"inquired the prince, now satisfied, of the interpreter.
"This: whether they are to show thy worthiness the gifts intended forthe pharaoh, or only to give those sent to thee," replied the dextrousinterpreter.
"I wish to see the gifts intended for his holiness my father," saidthe prince, "and I permit the ambassadors to rise."
Sargon rose, purple from rage or weariness, and sat down on the floorcross-legged.
"I knew not," said he, "that I, a relative and an ambassador of thegreat Assar, should be forced to wipe with my garments dust from thepavement of an Egyptian viceroy."
Mentezufis knew Assyrian, and commanded, without asking Rameses, tobring immediately two benches covered with cushions, on which sat atonce the panting Sargon and the calm Istubar.
When Sargon had puffed himself quiet, he gave command to produce agreat glass goblet, a steel sword, and to lead up before the entrancetwo horses decked with gold housings. When his command was obeyed herose and, inclining, addressed Rameses,--
"My lord, King Assar sends thee, O prince, two wonderful horses,--maythey bear thee only to victory! He sends also a goblet,--may gladnessalways flow to thy heart from it!--and a sword the like of which thouwilt not find in the armory of the mightiest ruler."
He drew from its scabbard a rather long sword, shining like silver,and bent it. The sword bent like a bow, and then sprang out straightagain.
"A wonderful weapon, indeed," said Rameses.
"If thou permit, O viceroy, I will show thee another of itsqualities," said Sargon, who, with the chance to praise Assyrian arms,which at that time were excellent, forgot his anger.
At his request one of the Egyptian officers unsheathed a bronze swordand held it as if to attack. Then Sargon raised his steel blade,struck and cut a slice from the weapon of the other man.
In the hall rose a murmur of astonishment, and an intense flush cameout on the face of Rameses.
"That foreigner," thought he, "took the bull from me in the circus, hewishes to marry Kama, and now he shows a sword which cuts our bladesinto shavings."
And he felt a still deeper hatred toward King Assar, toward allAssyrians in general, and toward Sargon especially. But he endeavoredto command himself, and with politeness begged the envoy to show thosegifts intended for the pharaoh.
They brought immediately immense packs made of fragrant wood; from oneof these the higher Assyrian officials took articles,--goblets,pitchers, steel weapons, bows made of goat horns, gilded weapons, andshields set with jewels.
But the most splendid gift was a model of King Assar's palace in goldand silver. It looked like three edifices,--the second smaller thanthe first, the third smaller than the second; the second built uponthe first, the third upon the second. Each was surrounded thickly bycolumns, and instead of a roof had a flat pavement. Each entrance wasguarded by lions or winged bulls with human heads. On both sides ofthe stairs stood statues of vassals of the king, bearing gifts; onboth sides of the entrance were carved horses in various positions.Sargon removed one wall of the model, and showed rich chambers filledwith priceless furniture. Special wonder was roused by the audiencehall, where were figures representing the king on a lofty throne, andnear him courtiers, warriors, and vassals giving homage.
The entire model was as long as twice the height of a man, and almostas high as the height of one man. The Egyptians whispered that thatgift alone was worth a hundred and fifty talents.
When the packs were carried out, the heir invited the ambassadors andtheir retinue to a feast, during which abundant gifts were bestowed onthe Assyrians. Rameses pushed his politeness so far that when one ofthe women pleased Sargon the prince presented her to the ambassador,of course with her consent and the permission of her mother.
The prince was polite and bountiful, but his face was still clouded.And when Tutmosis asked him if King Assar had not a beautiful palace,the prince answered,--.
"Its ruins on the ashes of Nineveh would be more beautiful to myeyes."
At that feast the Assyrians were very abstemious. Notwithstanding theabundance of wine, they drank little, and did not shout greatly.Sargon did not even once burst into loud laughter, though that was hiscustom; he cast down his eyes and thought deeply.
But the two priests--Istubar, the Chaldean, and Mentezufis, theEgyptian--were ca
lm, like men to whom the future is known, and whocommand it.